Easel



I (No Model.)

L; s. MGDONALD.

EASEL.

1w 414,987. Patented N ov. 12, 1889 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAURA S. MCDONALD, OF ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,987, datedNovember 12, 1889.

Application filed July 12, 1889. Serial No. 317,353. (No model.)

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURA S. MCDONALD, of St. Helena, Napa county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Easels; and I hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of easels in which a canvassupporting rack or shelf is vertically adjusted; and my invention consists in the novel general arrangement and construction of the frame of the easel, the support and guide for the moving rack or shelf, the novel construction of said rack or shelf, including its attached parts, the adjustable rack or shelf for the design, and other details, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe, together with the objects of my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation of my invent-ion, the figure is a perspective view of my easel.

The frame of the easel is composed of the two front legs A, the back leg B, the center bar 0, and the cross-bar D. These parts are fitted together as follows: A bracket E is secured by its socketed hub upon the center bar (J, and has three arms 6 radiating from it at right angles, said arms having socketed or forked outer ends in which the legs are pivoted, so that they may be extended to any desired degree to afford suitable support and be folded together, when necessary, for trans portation. The cross-bar D is secured by a socketed plate (I to the base of the center bar 0, and has each of its ends provided with a series of notches d, which are adapted to fit over the fixed pins a upon the front legs A, thus adapting said legs to be equally extended. Upon the center bar 0 is mounted and adapted to slide freely up and down a sleeve F, which carries a thumb screw f, whereby said sleeve may be fixed in the posi tion to which it may be adjusted. This sleeve has secured to its top the transverse rack or shelf G, which forms the support for the canvas. Pivoted under the ends of this rack or shelf are receptacles g, for the purpose of holding tubes of paint, crayons, and other materials, thereceptacles being adapted to be turned outwardly to receive the materials and inwardly under the rack or shelf to carry them out of the way.

H are coiled springs having their lower ends secured to the base of the sliding sleeve F and their upper ends secured to the ends of the rack or shelf G. These springs are for the purpose of holding the brushes, after the manner of ordinary pen-holders.

I is a rack or shelf, which is secured to a sleeve J, fitted and adapted to slide upon the center bar 0, and carrying a thumb-screw j,

whereby itmay be fixed in the position to which it may be adjusted. This rack or shelf .has pivoted to its front near each end the swinging holding-arms K. The rack or shelf I is for the purpose of holding the design, its arms K holding the edges of the design and preventingthem from curling.

The general operation of the easel may be briefly described as follows: The canvas is placed upon the rack or shelf G, which is thereupon raised or lowered to and fixed at the proper height to suit the convenience of the artist. The design to be copied is placed upon the rack or shelf I above, which is raised or lowered to and fixed at a convenient position, its arms K being turned upwardly to hold the edges of the design and prevent them from curling. Tubes of paint, crayons, or other materials may be placed temporarily in the pivoted or swinging receptacles g under the main rack or shelf G, and brushes may be conveniently and temporarily held in the coiled springs H. The legs of the easel may be readily adjusted, the back leg by simply being moved on its pivotal center in the bracket E above, and the front legs being adjusted by fitting their pins a, in any of the notches d of the cross-bar D. The object in having the notches in each end of the crossbar is to equally adjust the front legs A to corresponding inclinations, and this is necessary by reason of having said cross-bar attached at its middle to the center bar 0 and serving as a brace and support therefor. The bar G serves as a simple and convenient support for the racks or shelves G and I, and also as a guide for adjusting them vertically.

The manner of adj usting the racks or shelves is a simple and convenient one, avoiding the complications usually present in easels of this class, for by merely loosening the thumb-screws they may be raised or lowered and then fixed in any position.

The bracket E, to which all the upright pieces are secured, is a simple and durable connection, providing for the necessary ad justments of the easel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an easel, the combination of the swinging supportingdegs, the center bar secured at its top to said legs, the cross-bar secured at its middle to the base of the center bar, and having a corresponding series of notches in each end adapted to fit over fixed pins in-the' front legs, whereby the inclination of said legs may be elfected, and a vertically-movable rack or shelf mounted and adapted to slide upon the center bar, snlmtantially as de scribed.

2. In an easel, the combination of its swinging supporting-legs, a socketed bracket with radial arms in which the legs are pivoted, a center bar fitted at its top in said braeketand located between the front legs, a cross-bar sccured at its middle to the base of the center bar and having notches adjnstably connecting it with the front legs, and a verticallymovable rack or shelf fitted to the centerbar, substantially as described.

3. In an easel, the combination of the sleeve. F, the transverse rack or shelf secured to its top, and the bruslrholding springs secured to the base of the sleeve and to the ends of the 'ack or shelf, substantially as described.

4. 111 an easel, the combination of the sleeve F, the rack or shelf secured transversely to its top, and the receptacles gfpivoted to the ends of the rack or shelf, substantially as described.

5. In an easehthe combination of the sleeve F, the rack or shelf secured transx'ersely to its top, the brush-holding springs secured to the base of the sleeve and to the ends of the rack or shelf, and the receptacles g, pivoted under the ends of said rack or sh elf, substantially as described.

6. In an easel, the centerbar G of the frame, in combination with the sleeve F, fitted to and adapted to slide upon said bar, the thumbscrew in said sleeve for fixing it in position, the rack or shelf secured transversely to the top of the sleeve, the brush-holding springs secured to the base of the sleeve and to the ends of the rack or shelf, and the receptacles pivoted under the ends of said rack or shelf, substantially as described.

7. In an easel, and in combination with its frame, the vertieally-movable rack or shelf for supporting the canvas, and the verticallymovable rack or shelf above for supporting the design and having arms for holding the edges of said design, substantially as described.

8. In an easel, the supporting-legs and the center bar, in combination with the canvassupporting rack or shelf having a sleeve mounted and sliding on the center bar and a thumb-screw for setting it in position, and the design-supporting rack or shelf having a sleeve mounted and sliding on the center bar and a thumb-screw for setting it in position, substantially as described.

9. In an easel, the rack or shelf for holding the design, in combination with the pivoted arms K, carried by said rack or shelf, for holding the edges of the design,substantially as described.

10. An improved easel consisting of the following parts in combination, namely: the supporting-legs, the center bar, and the adjusting cross-bar connected with the front legs and with the bottom of the said center bar, the bracket fitted to the top of the center bar and having radiating arms in which the supporting-legs are pivoted, the sleeve F, fitted on the center bar and adapted to be vertically moved thereon, the thumb-screw for holding the sleeve in the position to which it is adjusted, the transverse rack or shelf carried by the top of the sleeve, the diagonal coiled springs secured to the base of the sleeve and to the ends of the rack or shelf, the pivoted receptacles secured to the ends of the rack or shelf, the sleeve J, fitted to the center bar and having a thumb-screw for holding it, the transverse rack or shelf carried by the sleeve, and the pivoted holdingarms K, carried by the ends of the rack or shelf, all substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hercunto'set my hand.

LAURA S. MCDONALD.

Witnesses:

H. N OURSE, J. H. 151.001). 

